Share-Based Compensation

QEP issues stock options and restricted shares under its Long-Term Stock Incentive Plan (LTSIP) and awards performance-based share units under its Cash Incentive Plan (CIP) to certain officers, employees, and non-employee directors. QEP recognizes expense over time as the stock options, restricted shares, and performance-based share units vest. Deferred share-based compensation is included in additional paid-in capital in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. There were 13.1 million shares available for future grants under the LTSIP at December 31, 2012. Share-based compensation expense is recognized in "General and administrative" on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. During the year ended December 31, 2012, QEP recognized $25.6 million in total compensation expense related to share-based compensation compared to $22.0 million and $16.1 million during the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Stock Options

QEP uses the Black-Scholes-Merton mathematical model to estimate the fair value of stock options awards at the date of the grant. Fair-value calculations rely upon subjective assumptions used in the mathematical model and may not be representative of future results. The Black-Scholes-Merton model is intended for measuring the value of options traded on an exchange. The Company utilizes the "simplified" method to estimate the expected term of the stock options granted as there is limited historical exercise data available in estimating the expected term of the stock options. QEP uses a historical volatility method to estimate the fair value of stock options awards and the risk-free interest rate is based on the yield on U.S. Treasury strips with maturities similar to those of the expected term of the stock options. The stock options typically vest in equal installments over a three-year period from the grant date and are exercisable immediately upon vesting through the seventh anniversary of the grant date.

The calculated fair value of options granted and major assumptions used in the model at the date of grant are listed below:



	Stock Option Variables
	Year Ended December 31,
	2012			2011			2010
Weighted-average grant-date fair value of awards granted during the period	$	14.29		$	18.80		$	27.55
Risk-free interest rate range	0.63% - 1.04%			n/a			n/a
Weighted-average risk-free interest rate	0.8		%	2.1		%	2.3		%
Expected price volatility range	55.9% - 56.5%			n/a			n/a
Weighted-average expected price volatility	55.9		%	54.7		%	30.3		%
Expected dividend yield	0.26		%	0.21		%	1.18		%
Expected term in years at the date of grant	5.0			5.0			5.2

Stock option transactions under the terms of the LTSIP are summarized below:



	Options Outstanding		Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term	Aggregate Intrinsic Value
			(per share)		(in years)	(in millions)
Outstanding at December 31, 2011	2,003,694		$	21.23
Granted	304,660		30.75
Exercised	(610,883	)	14.87
Forfeited	—		—		—
Outstanding at December 31, 2012	1,697,471		$	25.23	3.64	$	10.5
Options Exercisable at December 31, 2012	1,230,843		$	22.50	2.88	$	10.3
Unvested Options at December 31, 2012	466,628		$	32.40	5.65	$	0.2

The total intrinsic value (the difference between the market price at the exercise date and the exercise price) of options exercised was $9.6 million, $2.7 million and $0.3 million during the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The Company realized $4.6 million and $0.4 million of income tax benefits for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 (no income tax benefit realized in 2010), which increased its Additional Paid-in-Capital (APIC) pool by $5.1 million as of December 31, 2012. As of December 31, 2012, $2.7 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to stock options granted under the LTSIP is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.99 years. During the year ended December 31, 2012, QEP issued shares for stock option exercises from its treasury stock. During the year end December 31, 2012, QEP received $2.6 million in cash in relation to the exercise of stock options.

Restricted Shares

Restricted share grants typically vest in equal installments over a three-year period from the grant date. The grant date fair value is determined based on the closing bid price of the Company's common stock on the grant date. The total fair value of restricted stock that vested during the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, was $16.7 million and $11.7 million, respectively, with minimal vestings in 2010. The Company realized $0.3 million income tax expense and $1.0 million income tax benefit for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and increased the Company's APIC pool by $0.9 million as of December 31, 2012. The weighted average grant-date fair value of restricted stock granted during the years was $30.54 per share, $38.50 per share and $28.70 per share for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. As of December 31, 2012, $16.5 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to restricted shares granted under the LTSIP is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average vesting period of 2.09 years.

Transactions involving restricted shares under the terms of the LTSIP are summarized below:



	Restricted Shares Outstanding		Weighted- Average Grant-Date Fair Value
			(per share)
Unvested balance at December 31, 2011	1,099,752		$	32.80
Granted	827,986		30.54
Vested	(541,230	)	31.90
Forfeited	(85,920	)	32.30
Unvested balance at December 31, 2012	1,300,588		$	31.78

Performance Share Units

The performance share units' cash payouts are dependent upon the Company's total shareholder return compared to a group of its peers over a three-year period. The awards are denominated in share units but delivered in cash at the end of the performance period. The weighted average grant-date fair value of the performance share units granted during the period was $30.90 per unit and $39.07 per unit for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. As of December 31, 2012, $3.2 million of unrecognized compensation cost classified as a liability, or the fair market value, related to performance shares granted under the CIP is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average vesting period of 1.90 years.

Transactions involving performance share units under the terms of the CIP are summarized below:



	Performance Share Units Outstanding		Weighted- Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Unvested balance at December 31, 2011	115,274		$	39.07
Granted	180,923		30.90
Vested	—		—
Forfeited	(12,713	)	35.69
Unvested balance at December 31, 2012	283,484		$	34.01